Minster Use of the same power on the bone yields visions

’ Minster. Use of the same power on the bone yields visions

people to walk abreast. After a distance of 15 feet or so, the passage opens into a cobblestone yard. At the far side is a short staircase and a large, oaken door. A leafless dogwood tree stands in the center of the courtyard encircled by an iron fence. Empty, wooden, garden boxes line the walls leading to the staircase. Clouds have gathered; the only light in the courtyard comes from a sputtering torch in an iron hanger next to the ~ _...

Upon closer examination (Perception 3+ required to notice), thecharacters find aconsiderable amount ofash blown against the boxes, and the remains of what were once fine clothes. There is a signet ring, the charred leather of expensive boots and the blackened and melted mass of a cloak pin. Amidst the remains beside the tree are a string of rosary beads and a peculiar stake made from what looks to besharpened bone. The bone has strangecarved inscriptions along itsshaft, though they are nearly indecipherable (Intelligence + Linguistics or Occult, difficulty 9 to glean anything). Best guess is that they’re some form of cryptic rune-language, possibly inscribed as wards or identification marks. Characters with knowledge of the region’sanimal life (Survival 3+) recognize the bone as that of a large wolf, though it has been polishedconsiderably and sharpened to a fine point. An attempt to use the Auspex Discipline: The Spirit Touch on the rosary beads conjures images of a young priest kneeling before the altar at York ’ Minster. Use of the same power on the bone yields visions ofblood and violence, and an angry,dark-haired man who may have believed it to have magical powers.

Alternatively, if the coterie learns about Katla’s involvement in the fire of 1190, they may first seek her out to inquire about her involvement in the recent disappearances. Characters from York may have reservations about questioning the einherjar’s, as she has a reputation for aggressive behavior and little patience for trivialities. Those who count Katla in their own bloodline may defend her in an attempt to remove her from * . * unaware of Katla’s short temper and know very little regarding her history or connection to Baron John. In any event, Katla is still an unknown, re-establishing herself in the last four decades after close to 300 years of dormancy. Even characters close to her may not entirely trust her motives, or understand her methods.

Katla makes her haven beneath York Minster, in the foundations of the ancient Roman fortress on which the cathedral was built. Characters from the city can know her whereabouts, but coteries from outside the city need toquestion local Cainites. Any inquiries surely find their way back to Katla, who immediately sends a ghoul to invite the characters to an audience in her haven. If the characters arrive at the Minster looking for Katla, withor without such invitation, they are greeted by another of her ghouls and then escorted to her haven.

The coterie may decide to delay speaking with Katla to inquire about the owner of the rosary beads, or seek to find out more regarding Gerard’s last intended prey. Information on a priest present at the chamberlain’s death is provided in Scene 4, while details about Katla’s haven are in Scene 5.

Of course, characters may turn to their sires for advice at any time, or report back to their sires with details or intriguing leads. If a character’s sire is part of John’s court, you may have the coterie summoned to report at any time to keep the elder informed of progress. Some sires may even attempt to serve as mentor or master of the coterie, ordering their childer to return with information before proceeding at any time. Such overbearing behavior may breed resentment between sire and childe, or shape a player’s decision to run to his sire later in the act.

Already an impressive structure, York Minster undergoes a slow transformation into a truly awe-inspiring edifice.

The cathedral is in various states of construction, as entire wingshave beentorndownandare beingrebuilt inafar larger, more ornate style. The foundations for two massive towers at the front of the Minster have been laid, hinting at the grandeur of the architect’s vision. The courtyard is piled with artfully crafted stone slabs and other raw materials slated for use. Several masons work by torchlight at night on small projects within the Minster. It is rumored that Aimery de Methuin hired aToreador architect to design parts of the final cathedral, but no Artisan has stepped forward to claim credit.

Due to the state of disorder at the Minster, regular church services have been disrupted. The mass continues to be performed, but many parishioners attend small churches with more stable environments. As aresult, Cainites have aneasier time entering the Minster. Holy ground has receded to the sites of the purest faith: the altars, the small chapels and several of the vaults.

Information regarding the priest attacked the previous night is readily available to characters. Two masons work inside and a priest replaces candles. Any of these men can tell of Father Albert, who frantically shared a story of being attacked by monsters before dawn the previous morning. The masons’ version is colorful and exaggerated, sounding more like a ghost story than any sort of realistic account, but they refer the coterie to the attending priest, Father Jacques, who they know is a friend of Albert’s.

Thecharacterslearnfrom Jacquesthat Albertwasknown to rise early and walk to Monk Bar to the east of the Minster to watch the sun rise. Along the way, he reported meeting a strange gentleman who spoke of asickdaughter he wished the priest to bless. Walking him back toward the River Ouse, the man led Albert down a dark alley to a small courtyard. From what Albert said when he returned to the Minster some hours later, he was attacked by the man, but then rescued by another strange gentleman with the same sickly pallor as the first.

Looking down at the dead body of the first man, he saw what he assumed was a knife or dagger protruding from his back, but when he looked back toward his savior, the stranger was gone.

In a panic, Albert rushed home to gather himself, and returned to the Minster only once the sun had risen and there were people on the streets.

Rumors inspired by the story circulated throughout the day, and Albert finally retired to his home again to escape the incessant questions. If characters press Father Jacques any further, he speculates on the incident with the neonate priest who met Final Death a week earlier, and claims that demons have come to York. While the priest does not willingly give up the location of Albert’s home, characters can coerce the information out of him either through trickery or intimidation (successful Subterfuge or Intimidation rolls, difficulty 6, or simply ratings of 3+ required).

Other than rumors and speculation, Father Jacques and the masons have nothing more useful to add, although questions regarding Katla are answered with a mixture of fear and awe. The priest speaks of visions of a woman descending into the vaults late at night, only to disappear when he followed. One mason swears that she is the devil incarnate and is the source of all things unexplained and terrifying in the Minster. The other describes her as an angel descended from heaven who walks the cathedral at night, bestowing her grace on the faithful. Characters with the Presence Discipline may (Intelligence + Occult, difficulty 7) recognize these reactions as the results ofrepeated use of the power. Others undoubtedly believe the men overcome by superstition and fear.

The characters can learn from Jacques that Father Albert lives with two other priests and a housekeeper in a small home south of the Minster. When the Cainites arrive there, they find the door ajar and signs of a struggle in the common area and kitchen. The bodies of two priests lie stabbed to death, and the housekeeper sobs and bleeds to death on the pantry floor. Investigation (Perception3+ required) suggests that the attacks were made by someone wielding a knife with his left hand. Characters may try to stop the bleeding (Intelligence + Medicine, difficulty 7), but that only buys an hour or two at best, as the wound is deep.

If questioned, the housekeeper tells the coterie that her name is Marta, and that she wishes for a priest to come and give her Last Rites. If the characters agree to honor her wishes, either by sending for a priest or promising to do so after they ask her some questions, she explains what happened.

Earlier in the night, a woman matching Katla’s description came to see Father Albert. The two spoke privately in his quarters for some time before leaving suddenly. Marta asked where the priest was going so late at night, but Albert seemed focused wholly on the strange woman and did not respond.

Soon afterward, a man in a dark cloak burst in the door and stabbed her in the stomach before running toward the priests’ quarters. Marta lost consciousness, and only awoke when she heard the characters enter.

Further questions agitate Marta, and she drifts in and out of consciousness. She doesn’t know the other two priests are dead, and succumbs to uncontrollable sobbing if the characters relate their fate. Marta may alternately blame the strange woman for the attack or the man who saved Albert the night before, or both, but she continues to plead for a priest until she eventually fades completely.

A careful search of the house (Perception + Investiga. tion, difficulty 8) reveals a small wooden trinket that appears to have fallen from an amulet of some kind, similar to those worn by Leland. A small diary is also found among the bedclothes in Albert’s room. Written in Latin, the diary describes the events of the previous night. A brief description of the mysterious savior is begun, but stops mid-sentence as though Albert’s writing was interrupted.

If some characters went to find a priest, most likely Father Jacques, he arrives after Marta has died or when she is too far gone to speak coherently. The priest is frightened of the characters, as if they murdered Marta and the two men. He becomes paranoid and runs from the house if the coterie doesn’t manage to placate him and explain itself.

No matter what the circumstances, the characters coerced the location of Father Albert’s residence from Jacques, and three bodies are found there afterward. This reality should come back to haunt the characters later, if it does not set the city guard on their trail immediately. If special church investigators are in town, the coterie’s movements could become uncomfortably circumspect. connections she forges, however slight, may result in alliances with the characters. The vampires may refuse her request, at which point she claims blood right to inform John herself; she is closer to him in blood than any of them.

While Ventrue characters are not utterly bound by such etiquette, they may incur her wrath if they defy tradition.

Coteries foolish enough to declare their intention not to keep her informed may rouse her legendary anger. She promises to ruin their bloodlines and have them exiled from York. Whether she has the power to accomplish this is up to you, but she uses these threats more as intimidation than actual plans of action. More likely, characters who have no interest in dealing with Katla are noncommittal or make vague promises to keep her informed. This approach also angers her, but the coterie hears of her displeasure through others rather than directly.

Katla’s past, as mentioned by Leland, may come up in this meeting, at which point the elder denies any involvement in starting the fire. She explains that she arose from torpor and stumbled toward York Castle, intuitively drawn by the blood from the mass suicide. The city was strange to her, and she found a mob surrounding an unfamiliar castle.

Hearing there was a pretender on her sire’s throne, she kicked in the castle door in a rage. She admits to challenging the baron to combat, but claims she was unaware of her close blood ties to John, and her wits were confused by hunger. By the time she had entered the castle, it was already on fire, and she found a badly burned John being carried down the stairs by Leland. Her first thought was that the mob had set the building ablaze, but that didn’t explain the dead inside, why With information gained in Scenes 3 or 4, the coterie seeks out Katla and is escorted to the elder’s haven by a ghoul servant. The encounter with Katla is decidedly different depending on the time at which the characters speak with her.

Katla shows considerable interest in the coterie’s progress so far, and is even more curious as to why John chose the agents he did to investigate Gerard’s death. She explains that she has been looking into events herself, and that her own agents have been investigating the mystery.

Katla makes every effort to determine what the characters know, but volunteers little. She also attempts to endear herself to the coterie, playing on similarities in their respective situations. Characters from York may have been Embraced around the time of her return to the city and likely began to assert themselves on the political scene at the same time as she did, possibly making common allies or enemies in the process. Those who have blood connection to John or Evelyn also have some kinship to Katla, while foreign vampires may have similar feelings of distance - hers based on generation, theirs based on geography.

She requests that they bring any crucial information to her before troubling Baron John, hoping that whatever the second floor was engulfed before the first or why Leland was in the building when the disaster occurred.

Katla suggests that Leland set the fire so he could play hero and gain John‘s trust, which explains why the Tremere frequently paints the event as an attack staged by her. Characters close to John or Katla may debate points of this story.

York‘s Cainites have speculated on real events for decades and all have their own suspicions. If pressed too hard, Katla grows angry and ends the discussion, announcing that there is nothing more to say on the matter short of insults.

If the characters have this meeting before they track down Father Albert, they may question Katla about her knowledge of Gerard’s death. She is not very forthcoming with information, but can offer insight if they are entirely off track. For example, if the characters found nothing of interest at the courtyard, she may produce the evidence of the rosary for their inspection. She may also provide information that may have been missedearlier on, such as Gerard’s need to prey on members of the clergy. Ultimately, the meeting results in the characters attempting to track down the priest who was present in the courtyard and experience the events of Scene 4, at which point it behooves them to return to the einherjar with more questions and suspicions.

If the coterie spoke with Albert’s housekeeper Marta before their audience with Katla, the meeting with the vampire has a different tone. Characters undoubtedly ask about Father Albert’s whereabouts and are told that the priest is “safe” in her care. Further questioning reveals what the characters already know about the events of previous night - that some unknown assailant staked Gerard in the back as he attempted to feed on Albert. Katla acknowledges that she has her suspicions, but has yet to ascertain the “savior’s” motive.

Until she has proof, she cannot point any fingers, but requests that any further evidence be brought to her so that she may inform John of the threat herself. She assures the coterie that they will feature prominently in her report, thus gaining even more respect and dignitas by deferring to the close blood relative as a go-between.

The characters may reveal to Katla the unfortunate events that led to the deaths of Marta and the two priests, whichinterests theeldergreatly, but only implies that Gerard’s killer was trying to eliminate the one witness who saw his face.

During this encounter, Eyolf Ivarsson arrives bearing unfortunate news. Connor, the Brujah messenger dispatched to Whitby, was ambushed by Lupines and destroyed along with two ghouls and a carriage, leaving nothing but tattered remains. John has called another session of court at dusk the next night, and all Cainites in the city are expected to attend.

Katla tells the characters that Father Albert will be in attendance, and may be able to identify his strange savior.

The characters may question Katla further, but her patience grows thin. She has some measure of influence with the city guard, and characters may request help clearing themselves of three murders. Requests to placate the guards are honored so long as the characters have acted in the spirit of cooperation. Katla makes it clear that they owe her for her benevolence, though. Characters who anger her may find their troubles with the guard have only begun.

Finally, dawn approaches, and Eyolf suggests that the characters return to whatever haven they are using to regroup and consider the night’s events. He warm that fear still pervades local Cainites and even the city, and urges the characters to be careful. As the coterie leaves, Eyolf stays behind with Katla.

As the characters exit the Minster, they notice that the sky has grown cloudy and the wind has picked up. At this point, the coterie comes under some sort of attack, be it an ambush or open challenge on the street. The easiest approach is to have a group of townspeople or city guards blame the characters for the death of the two priests, or for any number of unnatural events both real or imaginary. Another option is to have inquisitors catch up with the characters, again accusing them of the deaths and disappearances of priests.

It should be obvious that antagonistswhatever form they take - have some form of inside information about the characters. Maybe they are attacked just as they leave Katla’s haven, or maybe they find a mob waiting for them at their own haven. The townsfolk could be inexplicably armed with torches, or know something personal about one character’s history. Whatever the threat, the characters should get the feeling that they were set up somehow, and by someone who knew they were investigating Gerard’s death. No aggressors are specifically aware of being informed about the characters, though, as if any information was shared with them unconsciously.

The coterie has the option to fight or flee, but dawn quickly approaches. The heavy cloud cover affords some protection from the sun (see the table on p. 232 of Vampire), but there’s no guarantee that storm clouds won’t break and let the golden rays of dawn shower the city. The characters need to escape this threat and find protection. (Scene 6: Xbe 6eavens @pen The journey to York Castle the next night is slowed by high winds and heavy rain. The people of the city shutter their windows and doors. Court assembles in the common room, but most prominent locals are absent except Aimery. He immediately approaches the characters and asks what they know about the Lupine attack. If the characters attempted to identify the strange bone stake with The Spirit’s Touch, they may be able to guess that it’s some magical Lupine relic (Intelligence + Occult, difficulty 9). Otherwise, they are hard-pressed to establish any definite connections.

The characters notice (Perception 3 + ) that Aimery’s normally proper, formal demeanor thinly veils j angled nerves.

His eyes dart around the room to measure who is present. He makes efforts to determine exactly what went on in the characters’ private library meeting, and what new information the coterie may be able to shed on recent events. If any of the characters are childer of Aimery, he takes them aside and warns that there was a group of strange men lingering in the area of his haven when he returned before dawn. His first thought was to overpower them, but he reconsidered in light of the current situation and spent the day in hiding. If none of the characters have any close connection to Aimery, the coterie hears this information circulate around the room in hushed whispers with drastically conflicting details.

The men who took such an interest in Aimery were inquisitors. They received a tip from an unknown source (an agent of Leland) that Aimery was a practitioner of the “dark arts.” While Aimery has no real evidence about who sent these men, he fears he is next on the list of “political eliminations.” He’s suddenly intent on discovering the source of the recent problems.

During this encounter with Aimery, John, displaying his usual confidence and poise, descends from his chambers on the second floor to call court to order. Leland follows the baron. Katla and Eyolf are conspicuously absent when John confirms that the messenger to Whitby was destroyed by Lupines after leaving the city walls. Alarmed discussion erupts throughout the assembly, and Aimery challenges John directly, asking what assurances the Cainites of York have that they won’t be picked off one by one. Others echo the statement. John does his best to assuage their concerns, to destroy Father Albert before dawn, lest he bring the church‘s investigators to their doorstep. The coterie may have similar plans. (Indeed, Katla herself plans to kill the priest once his usefulness is at an end.) Of course, with the candles blown out, Father Albert has trouble identifying anyone. John‘s servants close the doors and go about restoring the lights. Leland is noticeably disturbed by the arrival of Albert and shifts his gaze around the room in a panic, which draws the attention of several present.

Characters may use the Auspex powers Steal Secrets or Soulsight to read his immediate thoughts or view his aura, either of which implicates him in the recent murders. With his attention focused so intently on Father Albert, Leland neglects the handkerchief he normally carries in his left hand and reveals that his palm is badly burned. Indeed, it bears the branded inscriptions from the handle of the sharpened bone stake. Characters with combined Perception and Awareness scores of 7, or those with Heightened Senses, notice this connection to the murder weapon.

If the characters do not pick up on any of these signs, Leland questions Albert directly, claiming that Katla produces a false witness to protect herself or one of her agents. He asks the priest to point to the man whom he saw the other night. Albert looks over the crowd in confusion before pointing to Aimery de Methuin. At this point, Leland accuses Katla of trying to eliminate Aimery, while many in the court accuse Aimery of seeking to overthrow John. Ventrue characters (or other characters with the Dominate power) find the whole process circumspect, and (with Occult 4+) recognize Albert’s actions as those of someone under the influence of the Discipline. Those with some knowledge of vampiric Disciplines (combined Intelligence and Occult score of 6+) can determine that Leland was the vampire who altered Albert’s memories.

Whichevermethcdthecharactersuse todiscover Leland’s involvement, his guilt should be revealed in this scene. If at any time the Tremere feels directly threatened, he uses his Thaumaturgy powers to increase the intensity of the storm outside until the castle walls collapse. The second floor crashes down upon the heads of the court, causing everyone to avoid falling debris (Dexterity + Athletics, difficulty 8) or risk injury (five bashing damage). In the commotion, at least one of the characters should witness Leland fleeing the wreckage. 8cene t:Snto 8laektrom The Tremere runs north from the castle into the heart of the city, and characters who give chase face the full fury of the storm. The coterie may choose not to chase Leland, assuming he runs to his haven and they may seek him there. Even the most knowledgeable of characters in the coterie may not know exactly where Leland keeps his haven, though, other than the fact that it’s outside the city’s northern walls. Less impulsive or more conscientious characters may stay at the castle to ensure John’s safety, or to help rescue members of the court. If the coterie has an opportunity to speak with John or Evelyn, they learn the location of Leland’s haven. Of course, too much delay risks losing Leland completely and the baron urges the characters to pursue.

The ruined castle tower sits atop a high earthen mound and is surrounded by a sturdy wooden wall. Part of the wall is destroyed when the building collapses, creating an avenue of escape for Leland. The mound is slick with rain and made more difficult to navigate with the heavy winds, which may cause the characters to lose their footing. At the base of the hill is a moat some 50 feet across, with a bridge. An expanse of open area separates the castle grounds and a Franciscan Abbey, which marks the beginning of the city proper. Leland pauses at the abbey to see if he’s being followed, and directs bolts of lightning to deter any pursuers (Perception + Occult, difficulty 8, to hit due to low visibility, dealing 10 dice of lethal damage). If pursuit continues, Leland flees into the city, possibly using Celerity to distance himself from his pursuers.

Leland heads northwest through the city to Bootham Bar before changing direction to the northeast and heading for his haven at St. Thomas’ Chapel. Characters with a Perception + Survival total of 8 or more have no trouble keeping track of Leland. Otherwise, rolls to follow his flight through the city are made at difficulty 8. If the coterie does manage to lose track of its quarry, the characters may try to ask local townspeople if they saw Leland pass, which may put them back on his trail.

Other clues for characters to follow are shreds of the Tremere’s robe, or a talisman or amulet that he has dropped. Characters with poor tracking ability are best served asking someone in John’s court about Leland’s haven.

You have any number of obstacles to throw at the characters during this scene, making the chase a challenge; the storm causes chaos in the city. Some possibilities include: Flying Debris The force of the storm turns harmless objects into lethal projectiles. Small pebbles and stones fly with the force of sling bullets, dealing five bashing damage. Medium-sized items such as horseshoes, roof tiles, hammers, cooking pots and wagon wheels may cause as much as 10 to 15 bashing damage, knocking characters off their feet. Larger items such as wagons or collapsing structures like walls or spires may deal lethal damage or trap characters against walls or beneath rubble.

Beyond this, more lethal debris such as nails, glass shards, cutlery, pitch forks and broken shards of wood are all viable options, and you should adjust damage accordingly.

Looters and Brigands The storm smashes shop fronts, overturns wagons full of goods and forces people into their homes -providing a perfect opportunity for looters willing to brave the hazards of the weather. Watching a small cadre of characters running through the storm, presumably to find shelter, a group of cutthroats attempts to attack them for their valuables. This option is most likely if the majority of the characters are well dressed.

City Guards With looters roaming the streets, guards try in vain to maintain some degree of order. The characters may easily be mistaken for looters running through the city, especially if the coterie includes no nobles. Interference may be as simple as a guard yelling, “Halt!” or as complex as a group of aggressive guards attempting to subdue the characters, erring on the side of caution. The longer the vampires are delayed by guards, the more opportunity Leland has to